Often a champion of media freedom, the Pakatan Rakyat government in Kedah is under fire for restricting several media organisations from covering the three-day state assembly sitting.

In a statement today, Kedah GNONEerakan Dr Cheah Soon Hai condemned the move as a “violation of freedoms of speech and information”.

According to the Derga state assemblyperson, the people should be allowed to read what they want to read, not just reports which are to the PAS-led state government’s liking.

“It is also absolutely wrong of the state government to make the decision, merely because it is unhappy over newspaper reports over its alleged failure to help the recent flood victims,” he said.

The state government, he said, should be open-minded and accept constructive criticism.

“If you have not done and not done enough to help the people, especially the flood victims, and protect their safety, don’t be afraid to admit the mistake,” he said.

Rekedah state assembly media ban listpresentatives of several media organisations, including Malaysiakini, were stopped at the state assembly building’s main entrance on Sunday.

The list of media organisations allowed to cover the sitting was distributed on Thursday.

Malaysiakini has since been informed that its reporters will now be allowed to cover the event, but it is not known if the others banned have been granted access.

Kedah state reps debate media ban